California declares state of emergency over El Niño threat
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of record-breaking winter storms linked to a powerful El Niño weather phenomenon, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Newsom announced on X: “I'm declaring a state of emergency to mobilize state resources for a potentially historic El Niño winter in California. With higher risks of heavy rain, flooding, and mudslides over the next several months, we're launching a whole-of-government effort to protect Californians”
According to TASS, Newsom’s office cited U.S. meteorologists who warned of a greater than 90% probability of a strong El Niño event, with a 75% chance it could reach historic proportions.
In anticipation of severe weather, state authorities will stockpile flood-control supplies and reinforce roads and infrastructure, while the National Guard will be placed on standby for potential rescue operations.
Earth’s climate and weather depend largely on the state of two climatic phenomena: El Niño and La Niña (Spanish for "the boy" and "the girl"). The first is associated with a sharp warming of the surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, while the latter is linked to their cooling. These shifts trigger cascading changes in other elements of the global climate system that are not directly related to ocean water temperatures.
As it was reported, according to forecasts from the World Meteorological Organization’s Global Producing Centres, El Niño is nearly 100% likely to persist through February 2027. The organization stressed that this is the first time its experts have expressed such a high degree of confidence in an El Niño forecast. El Niño is expected to peak towards the end of 2026, although its impact on the climate may continue to be felt throughout the following year.
